Many candidates agree with cyclists on needs

In a quick survey last week, Bike Winnipeg found that many Winnipeg civic candidates and cyclists agree that the City’s infrastructure should encourage cycling as a year-around alternative to travelling by car.

The survey was distributed by e-mail to all candidates and to over 1,000 cyclists. 34 of 66 candidates responded, as did over 300 cyclists.

The views of these candidates closely reflected the views of cyclists on the development and maintenance of bike routes:

Three quarters of both cyclist and candidate respondents want infrastructure to encourage year-around cycling as an alternative to car travel.

The majority of both cyclist and candidate respondents want busy cycle paths cleared of snow within two days.

BW spring bike counts estimate that 7,000 people commuted to and from downtown each workday in the “shoulder months” of May and June 2014. Bicycle traffic on routes with cycling facilities has increased by 50% since 2010.

A recent City of Winnipeg Pedestrian and Cycling planning study found 46% of Winnipeggers would like to bicycle more often, but separated bike lanes were the most important improvements needed to make that possible.

The majority of respondents to last week’s Bike Winnipeg survey also felt;

The rate of investment in cycling infrastructure should be at least double the current amount (88% of cyclists & 63% of candidates).

We are telling the media: “Progress on bicycling infrastructure in Winnipeg has been slow and spotty since the big Federal Infrastructure grants. Now we have incomplete bike routes, which is discouraging for would-be commuter cyclists. One of the first planning documents the new council will consider is the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategy. It will allow the new council to make infrastructure investments that offer us healthy and cost-effective transportation alternatives, rather than building infrastructure that forces Winnipeggers to put up with the stress of congestion and potholes because driving is the only safe way to travel.”